Battle of the Egos
by AmilyEmy
Summary: I was thinking about my friend satanhat and how funny it would be if she met someone with a temper and ego to match her own. Enter Ares! Review please! the first chapter is kinda boring feel free to skip it
1. Prologue

It happened not to long ago, for immortals anyway. Ares, the great god of war, was locked away forever. Athena, goddess of war and wisdom, sent him to sleep for eternity. She never liked my master, Ares. He was more than my benefactor. He was my friend and fellow warrior. He was a brutal man, but he had to be. He was honorable.

War was a way of life, it was his kingdom and all those who entered its borders were obligated to follow its laws. An enemy was to be fought face to face, not in a wooden horse. Ares never liked Athena and she didn't like him. Heck, very few people liked Ares.

Zeus pushed him to the side as often as possible in favor of his other children bastard, legitimate, and adopted. Ares never held that against any of his siblings. He blamed his father for his mother's unhappiness. Ares tried everything to win his father's affection, but Zeus only had eyes for Athena and his other offspring.

I am one of Zeus' adopted sons; I am called Alexander the Great. I am now known as Alex, here on Olympus. When I became king of Egypt, Zeus was obligated to protect me. Right before I "died", Ares, whom had been my friend since before my military campaigns, talked Zeus into adopting me as an immortal child.

In the middle of the night Ares came to me with Hera and Artimus. While the women created a dead body that looked like me, Ares gave me the nectar of the gods and I became immortal. After that, Ares started to win some of Zeus' favor and that jealous witch, tricked him into drinking a sleeping draft, disguised as wine.

Athena calls herself a warrior, but she has no honor. She uses cowardly tactics. So, Ares is by all appearances "dead as a door nail", but he is just sleeping and if Athena has her way he will remain so for eternity.

I have already started to beg Zeus to order Athena to release Ares from her enchantment. But she has managed to convince Zeus that Ares was unnecessary and weary of his duties. She is the goddess of war and she thinks that she doesn't need Ares around, "plus he needs rest." I dread what the future holds for gods and mortals alike.

Alexander the Great walked through a corridor of black marble, Two-thousand years has passed since Ares was sent to sleep by Athena. The gods and goddesses that wished for Ares' return to the conscious world had cut a tomb for Ares in the bowels of Olympus.

Athena's favor with Zeus has been decreasing at a very rapid pace. She has let mankind commit the most atrocious crimes and all in the favor of war and knowledge. Athena failed to stop the Crusades, World War I and II; she allowed the development of the A-bomb, the H-bomb, Biological warfare, Chemical warfare, and genocide. Alexander was right to fear war without honor. It terrified him that a man could kill without looking into the eyes of the people he killed. It was to ancient warrior, a show of respect. This act said, "I fight you face to face and man to man." Athena has turned generals into murderers and cities into wastelands and all in the name of knowledge.

'Now more than ever we need Ares.', Alex thought. He walked through the massive black oak doors that opened to the room with Ares was sleeping on a black marble slab. Alex once again saw Ares lying there looking like nothing more than a corpse. "Hi Ares its Alex again I don't know if you can hear me, but anyway Zeus is fed up with Athena and he has ordered her to lift the spell. In his own way he misses you. Artimus and Apollo can't wait for you to come back. So a lot has happened while you have been asleep and I'll fill you in when you wake up."

While Alex talked to Ares, the god of war was deaf to his friend's message. This great god was trapped in a world of perpetual nightmares. He had seen all the atrocities that man had committed and he had endlessly relived his own battles. Choking on the stench of blood and sweat, seeing his friends and fellow warriors fall to the ground, each life he had taken, the ruins of all the lives that war had ripped apart, tormented Ares. He was not just trapped in a world of nightmares, he was living them and he couldn't wake up.

Alex watched with the other gods as Athena was brought into the chamber to undo her spell. None of the gods trusted her enough to let her be alone with Ares. She walked over to Ares, waved her hand over him and undid the enchantment. Ares shot up from the brier, as a man would from a bad dream.

Ares didn't know where he was. He looked around and saw the gods. Some were dressed in traditional Greek apparel and others in the strange clothes from his nightmares. Then he saw Alex who was walking over to him, Ares got up and hugged him. Alex was shocked that Ares would so openly show affection. "How long have I been gone?" Ares asked. "Almost two millennia." Alex replied. 'So I've been asleep. Well it was anything but restful.', Ares thought.

A few days later, Ares and Alex were alone. Alex just had to ask Ares what was wrong since he had been acting strangely. He had been much quieter than Alex remembered. "Ares what happened while you were asleep?" "Why are you asking "', Ares questioned. "You haven't been acting yourself"', Alex replied.

"Alex, when I was asleep was there some person named Hister or Hitler or some thing like, that walking around killing people?" "Yes and how did you know that? I haven't told you about that." "I saw it when I was asleep. I saw things called crusades and world wars. I've learned of things called bombs and mustard gas. I have seen genocide.", Ares started to get upset. "I can't believe anything that I witnessed. I saw Troy, my men that died there, the battles that I organized, everything. I have had the nightmares every night, since I woke up. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Ares calm down. You are war. Death and war go hand in hand. That's just the way it is you know that and you have respected it." , Alex started. "Athena has no regard for life. She sees mortals as lab rats that she can test her new weapons on. She never liked watching a man die, to watch their eyes go dead and now she doesn't have to. Athena has turned war into push a button, count down from ten, and incinerate hundreds of people instantly. She has become a monster. She can't handle all the aspects of war. Even Zeus is sickened by her actions." Alex ranted.

"Amazing I get put in a coma and Athena goes mental. So if Athena is no longer daddy's little girl, who's Zeus's favored child now?", asked Ares. "Well none of us are really sure he treats us like he always has. The only thing that has changed is his attitude to Athena. Ares, from what Hera says Zeus has wanted to see you, but no one will let him get near you since you woke up."

Ares doesn't believe that his father would care to see him. He knows that right now, he could not deal with Zeus' insults. Ares thinks that Zeus would blame everything on him since that's what his father has always done. Ares has always been the family scapegoat.

A few days later Zeus had had enough of being cuddled into trying to keep him away from Ares. He loved his son, even though he never showed it. Since Athena had placed that spell on Ares he had begun to see her as she was and not as she acted in his presence.

Zeus was disgusted with her cowardly methods and now he had a new respect for Ares. He had never known that his son was such a strong man. He had always seen Ares as the older child that picked on his younger sister. This was the reason that Zeus had always sheltered Athena the way he did. Since Zeus had seen what life on Olympus and among mortals was like without the god of war, he never respected or loved his son more.

"You wanted to see me, father?" Ares asked as he entered Zeus' throne room. He looked up to see his father walking towards him. "So, Ares are you well rested after two thousand years?" "Not quite I actually feel more tired than ever." Ares knew better than to try and lie to his father. The old god was like a blood hound; he could smell dishonesty.

"Ares, my son, if I had known all the details of Athena's spell I would have ordered her to free you centuries ago. I have started to see her as she truly is, Ares. Athena told me everything she did to you throughout your lives. I think she was trying to return to my favor.", Zeus said thinking out loud.

"Ares, I want to ask why you never told me how she treated you, but I also respect you for not telling me. Even though it would have made my life a lot easier." "If I did tell you, would you have believed me? You always brushed off my opinions as if they were seed for fodder."

Ares is confused and angry. At the same time, he doesn't know what he should be feeling right now. Zeus can tell what Ares is thinking at the moment. "You are right to be angry at me, Ares. I have brushed you off many times. When Athena told me the tiny detail of her spell I immediately ordered her to lift her little enchantment. I have not told anyone about your nightmares. That is your choice to make, not mine. I have also sworn Athena to silence or else she will fall under the same spell she put on you, but only for a night."

"What Athena did to you I would not wish upon my worst enemy much less..." Ares expected his father to finish his sentence with "daughter." Ares never expected anything from his father. What he had said already had been more than he would have ever thought his father would say to him. Ares' head snapped up to look his father in the eye when he heard the word "son." A knowing smile formed on Zeus' face and stayed there. "So Ares, now you know what it is like to be having a nightmare and not being able to wake up."

"Do you know who created that spell? Chronis your grandfather. One of his minions put it on me when I was younger than you were. My caretakers killed him and therefore set me free from the spell." Ares is shocked. He had no idea. "No one knows about it, not even your mother, no one, but you."

Ares feels as if the world has come together at last. He knows his father as no one in existence knows him. He feels like a son that is loved, respected, and treasured. Ares does not understand how to deal with all the information or anything else that has happened. "Father?" "Yes, Ares." "What do we do now?" "We take our relationship a day at a time." "How do I make sense of everything I saw?"

Now that was a tough question, even for Zeus. "You never forget what you have seen or what you felt. You face the truth. It is not always the most beautiful thing, but it is the only thing that will outlast Mother Earth herself." Ares stopped to digest what his father has just told him. He knew what he had to do.

Ares looked out at the Mediterranean from the west coast of Turkey. He sighed and laid a rose at the base of the ancient wall of Troy. "Rest in the peace that warriors never have in life, my friends.", Ares said he looked at the site of the graves where the Trojans buried their heroes. Ares willed himself to another place that he had to visit. He gazed at the walls where silhouettes were still visible. The only testament to the owners that were vaporized the instant the bomb detonated in the quiet village of Hiroshima, Japan.

Ares remembered the vivid pictures from his dreams. School children bleeding, the lives of thousands torn asunder. "I swear as the keeper of the rage of war such a thing as this will never happen again. I swear this on the Snyxes.", Ares vowed as he knelt at the precise spot where the bomb hit and changed the world forever. And now we know it will never happen again.


	2. New York

"Mortals never change." Aries thought as he walk causally down the streets of New York, "Their technology advances but the natures are as unchanging as the Fates." After being trapped in a, supposedly, eternal sleep for over thousand years. He was suddenly free and apparently forgotten. He has a few followers here and there but he is over all considered a myth. "Stupid mortals can't even remember their own history. So ignorant of the past."

Aries walks into the Biltmore Hotel and up to the front desk. "How may I help you, sir?", the concierge asked. "I'm here to check into my suite." "May I please have your last name?" "Warrior" At that the concierge's head shot up to examine the man before her. He was dressed in black pants, a dark red t-shirt, and a black jacket. He looked like just that a warrior. It wasn't his cloths. It wasn't his height either, even though he must have been at least six feet tall. It wasn't even the fact that he could give all the models she had ever checked-in a run for their millions. It was his sheer presence. He seemed to fill the entire floor. She tore herself away from his spell and quickly typed the name into the computer. "Ah. Yes, Mr. Warrior. Your valet and luggage arrived this morning. They are waiting for you in your suite." "Thank you." "Enjoy your stay."

Aries usually found it funny that women were drawn to him. But right now he just wanted to climb into bed and fall into peaceful oblivion. He walked to the elevator and told the operator, "Penthouse." The young man glanced at Aries and pulled out the key that would allow for access to the penthouse level.

Alexander was waiting for his lord Aries to arrive. 'he should have been here an hour ago, I hope no one pissed him off I really don't want to clean up any ashes today. The door opens. My LOrd, where have you been?" "shut up Alex I'm to tired to listen to your chatter." "May I ask why you are so exhausted?" "I'm still recovering from the magical sleeping pill Athena slipped me." "Sir its been four months, you are fully recovered, and according to the Dr. Phil I just watched, you are probably suffering from depression. So I suggest that you-" "No! Alex I wil not go see Hermes!" "but sir he is God of healing and he's doing well with that extreme fracanstien reality thing, what ever its called!" "extreme make-over, and I don't care I am going to bed, I'm tired and so help me I will incinerate you right where you are so do me a favor and shut the hole in your face or I'll tear you a new one!!!" "You just threatened me twice in one sentence. You really are tired, alright go to bed but I want you to go to some art galleries to morrow there are some decent ones in this city that don't carry those modern trash heaps." "Its called modren art, Alex" "In my opinon if its greek then its art" "I'll have to find you some modern art that's done by a greek then." " No wonder your not the God of humor, that was horrible." " Who said I was joking?" Alex cringes in fear he hate modern art he prefers the smooth techneque of the classical masterpieces. "Alex sighs and says, "Good night oh God of annoiance." Aries perks his ears up in in surprise,"Alex you need to practice your sarcasm your slipping." Aries walks into the Master Bedroom just in time to see Mars ascend into the eastern sky He watches the red planet while he gets ready for bed. Aries falls asleep watching Mars cross the east new york skyline.

Alex sits himself down in front of the fire place in the living room. 'He really isn't himself. Is it possible for Gods to get depression. Well Hera is Bipolar. She just has to admit it. I'll have to call Hermes no matter how much Aries will hate me for doing it. Maybe I should see if Cupid would like to drop by and try and cheer him up. Who am I kidding Aries would let artimus' Amozans barrow me for target practice.' Alex gets up and wlks to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looks at the skyline without really seeing it. He thinks out loud, "My the Fates stop the self destruction of a powerful God and a good man."


	3. Art, Ruth, and Suprises

"ARIES GET UP!!! For the love of Olympus. GET YOUR GODLY BEHIND OUT OF BED!!!", Alex yells. "Good morning." Alex panting, I really shouldn't have yelled, now I'm out of breath. Aries stared at him with what appeared to be amusement. "Alexander, what ever happened the great conquer that shouted orders left and right? You can't even yell at me to get out of bed." Alexander the Great chuckled, "Almost three millennia without practice will do that to you." Alex is glad that Aries showed some emotion. He had been so distant since Athena woke him up from that enchanted sleep she put him under just before the dark ages.

"Come on Aries", Alex said, "I'm taking you to an art gallery." "Do I have to?", Aries whined. "yes you Do. So get out of bed and get up.", Alex ordered. "Or else I'll call Aphrodite and tell her your not feeling well." "Oh, good great Zeus, no. She'll faun over me all day." "So you have no choice but to get up and come with me to some art galleries." Aries groans.

Aries' eyes hurt he's never seen so much "art". He just wants to find a nice Greek restaurant and have lunch. "Come on Aries just one more gallery. I promise.", begged Alex. "Please you'll like this one." Alex dragged Aries to a tiny little apartment a way from the big name galleries. " A friend of mine runs this place, most of the work is her own all though she also sells some artifacts and replicas." Alex told Aries. " I just hope after this we can go eat lunch. I'm starving." Aries said very gruffly. Alex sighed in exasperation. If he didn't come up with a plan soon the world would fall into chaos. Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom, could no longer stand Aries and his macho man ways. She then sent Aries into an "eternal sleep". The only side effect that she didn't see was without Aries she had to take charge of all the wars fought on earth. Athena my be a goddess but she cannot be at two places at once. She was so tired of war she would have let the world destroy itself if Zeus had not interfered. He ordered Athena to release Aries from her spell.

Alex opened the door for Aries and followed him inside. Aries was awe struck. The tiny store had pictures from ceiling to floor. They were beautiful. He had never seen anything like it in his lifetime. Alex followed him inside. "Ruth! Were are you?" Alex yelled. " in the back be with you in a moment."

'drear Lord what could Alex want? Surely not another picture.', Ruth thought. She was a tall thin young woman. She was dressed in white striped thigh highs, black combat boots, a black and white checkered mid-thigh skirt, and a large black sweater even though it was late June. Ruth walked out in to the main display room. "Alex, What are you doing here? I will not sell you another picture your apartment must not have any wall space." " No Ruth not today and I gave most of them away as gifts."

Alex looked at he good friend he had just meet Ruth by chance at a art gallery. She was a strong young woman that knew how to take care of herself. She had her own sort of style the first few times they had got together everyone thought he was dating a clothing designer. Ruth was queen of Goodwill and master of the thrift store. She know just how to mix and match colors, fabrics, and styles. Alex know better than to ask Ruth out as anything other than friends. Ruth was not a solitary person, but she really did not like "boyfriend-girlfriend" relationships. Ruth always kept all relationships strictly friends, except for a few select people that she considered more like family than friends. Alex had met two of them in the three years that he had known Ruth. Ones name was Rebecca, Becca for short, She was a really nice girl that always spoke her mind and at the moment was dating Apollo, the god of the sun, music, and poetry, Becca is officially Apollo's longest running romantic relationship and saying something considering that they have only been going out for about ten months. Another's name is Brenda she is really close to Ruth. At the moment she is in Oxford, England for graduate school. Sebastian tries to see Ruth as often as possible about three to four times a year and keeps in touch through e-mail and instant messaging. Alex looked at Aries waiting to be introduced. "Hey Alex you there?" "hm?" "You were gone for a second.", Ruth said. "oh, sorry guess I'm tired and just zoned out. Ruth this is Aries, Aries this is Ruth.", said Alex "nice to meet you, both Aries and Ruth replied "So Ruth how is Becca?", Alex asked. " She is just fine. Apollo worships the ground she walks on and she really likes him." "hold on," Aries said, "You Know about the Gods!" Yes Ruth said One of my best friends is dating Apollo and I'm really good Friends with Artimus." "Really," Aries retorted, "Apollo since I have known him has had a new girlfriend every week. And on occasion they might last a month." "I guess Apollo likes something, because he's been with Becca for almost a year. And just to let you know if you tick me off, I don't care what god you are, you will be in Pain for the next few millennia.", Ruth stated. She did not say her threat with over dramatic zeal it stated as if it were a simple truth. At this Aries became infuriated. 'How dare she treat me as if I am a child. I am War. She shall learn to show respect to the Gods.', he thought. At the same times Ruth was having similar thoughts, 'He's such a man. He thinks that he is so high and mighty, well he's got another thing comin' to him." Alex was not sure what to make of the situation he knows what his friends are thinking and he's not sure whether to be pleased that Ruth got such a emotional reaction out of Aries or to call on Zeus, because from the way they were looking at each other, some one would probably not live through this relationship.

"So Ruth I was wondering would you like to go to lunch with us. We were probably going to go to Giovanni's in Little Italy. I know you love their vegetarian rottini." Alex asked. "Sounds good to me Alex, I was just getting ready for my lunch break any way."


End file.
